Thank you. Best, L

I am trying to add a facet that was not available in the marketplace. This work is written almost exclusively from my personal experiences, and was produced by a highly motivated "NF" at 53 (in other words, it was a very long and extremely hard road). I believe that a number of elements will hit a bullseye with readers; some may not (and that's ok). You might also want to critique my work, "Why the Titanic Sank..." Best wishes, L

It would depend on the level of ability of your students. You could ask them to discuss a problem that they have had in the past, and then brainstorm a number of possible solutions (deference to personal issues always in order). You could brainstorm a roadmap to obtain a dream (I did this a number of times with an NFL goal). You could have them write a narrative (story) about a character who has a problem, and how then attempt to resolve it. You might have them illustrate what the Bog would look like. I don't know that it would be workable for three days of this idea exclusively; I suppose I was thinking more of three consecutive periods over three days, but it certainly could be done. I did a lot of this for "Open House," and it did take several sessions (fourth grade); but it was incredibly successful, and the students loved it (even the quiet ones). Best wishes.

I hope that this works for you- it's no "Les Miserables," but it is a lot of fun. A

“The Lost Gold Mine of Sonorry Town”


Characters:

Clem Cadiddle (the hero, has a map in his back pocket)
Jumpin’ Jack (the bad guy)
Cowlick Carol (the beautiful heroine)
Pokey Porcupine (Clem’s pet and best friend, should be expressive and funny)
Jumpin’ Jack’s Group of Claim Jumpers (four girls and four boys, they copy all of Jumpin’ Jack’s movements)
Pine Tree(s) (several individuals along the back of the set)
Cradle (two, on the left middle part of the set)
Bench (two, on the right middle part of the set)
Table (two, next to the bench)
Fire Pit (3-7, in the middle of the set)
Grizzly Bear (she’s ornery, but nice)

[The scene opens in an opening on top of a mountain near Sonora, California in 1849. Several pine trees are scattered throughout the set. A fire pit is set in the middle (participants who hold hands and wiggle them around to pretend that they are the fire pit). Clem is asleep next to the campfire, but is using his trusty sidekick’s foot (Pokey) as a pillow.]

Here in Sonorry Town, we see the trees waving in the wind, the cradle slowly sifting; and the campfire stirring up its hot embers, and drifting them off into the night sky.

Clem is snoring really loud, which tickles Pokey’s foot and makes Pokey start laughing and rolling on the ground.

Just then, Jumpin’ Jack and his band of Claim Jumpers approach Clem’s Claim. They are dancing after a big night at the saloon, and are really shaking it like a Polaroid.

Clem continues to snore really loud, and Pokey continues to laugh even louder, while rolling on the ground.

Unfortunately, when Pokey rolls around, he pokes Jumpin’ Jack with one of his quills.

Jumpin’ Jack looks down at his foot and starts crying, sucking his thumb, and hopping around on one foot. [His band of Claim Jumpers exactly copies everything he does.]

On account of all the racket, Clem rises up, yawns and stretches.

Jumpin’ Jack realizes who the real culprit of his pain is. He and Clem square off for a Sumo Wrestling Match.

All of the claim jumpers make bets as to who will win, and constantly flap their arms (under the opposite underarm area) as if trying to make a disgusting prank noise.

Suddenly Clem hollers out: “Listen Jumpin’ Jack, you won’t get my deed to the Lost Mine of ‘Sonorry Town’ this day.”

Jumpin’ Jack hollers out: “So you want to play rough, eh?” He then points his finger at Clem and goes, “Neener, neener.”

Jumpin’ Jack and Clem Cadiddle trade “noogies (knuckle rub on scalp area)” back and forth.”

While Clem and Jumpin’ Jack are giving each other noogies, Pokey grabs the map out of Clem’s back pocket and sneaks off to put it in a safe place.

Pokey mistakenly thinks that if he dances like a ballerina, no one will see him leave.

Unfortunately, while he is ballerina dancing off the set, he accidently walks through the fire pit, which scalds his bare porcupine feet.

This infuriates Pokey, and he starts smacking all of the claim jumpers with the map to the lost mine of Sonorry Town.

He then knocks over two trees, the table and the bench. He eventually runs off.

Just when all hope is lost, in sashays the beautiful and yet unpretentious, Cowlick Carol. She walks in; strikes a pose and says, “Howdy Boys.”

The female claim jumpers are jealous, but the rest of the claim jumpers and Jumpin’ Jack are so enamored with her beauty and unpretentious wit, that they do a tap dance, hiccup three times, and run off into the forest on pretend horses with the female gang members following on pretend horses as well..

Cowlick Caro says: “What did them mean, ornery, and lowdown gang members want with you?”

Clem then replies: “Ah, nothing much Honey Kitty Pumpkin.”

Cowlick Carol then says: “So… you gonna’ pay the mortgage for my daddy’s farm after all?”

Clem says: “No…I’m gonna’ head out to them foothills find a strike of hard tack and beans, darlin’.”

Just then… in walks a wild and fierce grizzly bear. He lets out a huge roar. He starts doing the cha cha and bumping into trees.

Clem realizes that he needs a diversion, so he scans the audience to see if there is a boy who knows how to sing the Barney song (or other comparable song or task) in order to confuse the grizzly bear, that they might make an escape.

[Here, a person steps up and sings some of the “Barney” song.]

Upon hearing the Barney Song, the grizzly bear runs over and sits next to Mrs. Smith (insert name of teacher) to be consoled. They are both so happy to see each other that they immediately start dancing the rumba.

Cowlick Carol turns to the Barney Singer, flashes her eyes and says… “My hero.”

Cowlick Carol and the “Barney Singer” walk off into the sunset hopping like two pogo sticks. Unfortunately, they knock down two more trees, and the bench and the table in the process.

In the meantime, Pokey comes back with the map and hands it to Clem.

Clem yawns, lays down and begins to snore once more, while Pokey laughs and rolls around on the ground.

Once again, here in Sonorry Town, we see the trees waving in the wind, the cradle slowly sifting; and the campfire stirring up its hot embers, and drifting them off into the night sky. All is quiet in the gold rush territory as the Lost Mine of Sonorry Town settles down once more.